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Statement by Mai Fernandez, Executive Director of the National Center for Victims of Crime, on the Fort Hood Shooting

Yesterday brought the anguishing news that the community of Fort Hood, Texas has yet again been torn apart by a mass casualty shooting. Three are dead plus the shooter, and 16 are injured – some critically.

The National Center for Victims of Crime stands with these victims, their families, co-workers and the wider community of military families at Fort Hood – many of whom will need ongoing physical and mental health care in the coming months and years. Many survivors of the Fort Hood shooting in 2009 that left 13 dead and more than 30 injured are still struggling to recover. They may experience re-traumatization in the aftermath of this second shooting.

We know from past mass casualty crimes that the victims face many obstacles to access the help they need to recover and take their lives back. The military and the nation owe these victims the best possible care and support.

While mass shootings make up only about 1 per cent of homicides in the United States, they are becoming more frequent. The ripple effects on the long term well-being and security of communities in the aftermath of these crimes are still poorly understood. We have much work to do to improve and sustain long-term care for all those affected.

The National Center for Victims of Crime, established in 1985, is the nation’s leading resource and advocacy organization for crime victims and those who serve them. For more than 25 years, the National Center has led this nation’s struggle to provide crime victims with the rights, protections, and services they need to rebuild their lives. For more information on our work with crime victims, visit www.victimsofCrime.org